Health Services Manager Job Description and Career Opportunities

Have you ever considered becoming a health services manager? It is a great, well paying career for the right person! This post will cover the health services manager job description and other aspects of this career. Many people may not be aware of the important role that medical services managers play in various health care settings. This occupation has a high projected rate of growth, so this is a good career to pursue. This job might just be perfect for you if you have an interest in managing others while also managing the coordination of health care services within a health care facility. You can work as a services manager in a variety of medical settings. Continue reading if you would like to learn more about how to become a health services managers.

Health Services Manager Job Description

Source: New Hampshire Employment Security

The job of a health services manager can be stressful yet also rewarding. These managers may need to work long, full time hours. In some instances, they may need to work during the weekends, into the evening, or overnight. This may be the case especially if an emergency arises at the facility. Depending upon the medical facility in which the medical services manager is employed, he or she may oversee the entire facility or just one department or area of it.

Ensure that the facility is efficient and effective and improve it when possible

Serve as a facility representative in the community

Manage and oversee the medical facility’s finances

Stay current on state laws and regulations pertaining to the medical facility

The medical services manager’s job title may vary slightly depending upon the facility in which they work. For example, a medical manager’s who works in a nursing home would likely have the job title of nursing home administrator. Job responsibilities for a medical services manager may differ from one medical facility to the next. A health information manager’s job responsibilities primary focus would be on keeping current and secure patient records. They oversee the patient record databases to ensure security, reliability, and accuracy. A nursing home administrator’s job responsibilities would center on the care and well-being of the patients, admission of new patients, overseeing the facility’s finances, managing the staff and dealing with staff related issues, and ensuring the maintenance of the building.

These managers often work closely with physicians, technicians, nurses, as well as other health facility workers. Most health services managers are employed by local, state, and private hospitals. As of the year 2012, there were 315,500 services manager positions in the United States.

Health Services Manager Education Requirements and Training

The health services manager education typically consists of a bachelor’s degree in public health or health administration. However, some medical facilities prefer to hire an individual who has a master’s degree in a related field. The desired master’s degree is typically in public health, business administration, long-term care administration, or another relevant field. In some medical facilities, a bachelor’s degree may be enough to secure a position as a medical services manager. Classes commonly required when preparing for a career as a manager include: accounting, ethics and the law, human resource administration, hospital management and organization, and health information systems (among others).

Bachelor’s programs specifically formatted to prepare students for careers in medical services management are most ideal. Students tend to come out of the programs well prepared to take on the roll of medical services management. If an individual know what type of facility they would like to manage, they can select an academic program that allows them to specialize in that particular type of facility. Bachelor’s degree programs typically take 4 years to complete, and relevant master’s degree programs typically take 2 to 3 years to complete.

All states require some type of licensing and registration for administrators and managers. However, licensing requirements differ from state to state. Typically, graduates must pass a state licensing exam in order to earn their license. The state license is typically required prior to seeking employment in the field. Certification is typically optional, but many medical services manager opt to pursue it.

It is not uncommon for new graduated to start out as assistant administrators or assistant department heads. As they gain work experience, they may be promoted to the administrator position or management. This is largely influenced by the amount of experience the individual has as well as the size of the medical facility they work for. However, there is typically room for advancement and promotion.

Health Services Manager Salary

The median health services manager salary for all medical and health services managers, according to the Bureau for Labor Statistics (BLS)*, had a value of $88,580 per year in May 2012. This is notably higher than the average median for all occupations which was $34,750 per year as of May 2012. The median value is not the same as the value of the average salary (although the two can be rather close), but it just reflects the value located in the middle of the registered salaries. It means that half of all employed health services managers have earned a little more than this value, and the other half of them earned a little less. The top 10% of these managers earned more than $150,560 per year. The lowest 10% of services managers earned less than $53,940.

It is important to note that the salaries of these managers vary based on how many responsibilities they have and the size of the medical facility they work in. For example, these managers who worked in medical facilities that employed 6 or fewer doctors earned a median annual salary of $87,862. Larger medical facilities that employed between 7 and 25 doctors earned a median annual salary of $126,478. In large medical facilities that employ 26 or more doctors, the median annual salary of these managers is 148,604.

Medical services managers typically work full-time, averaging at or over 40 hours each week. Depending upon the facility they manage, they may need to be available in the evenings, over night, and over the weekend. These overtime hours typically occur as a result of an emergency at the facility. Also, they may work in medical facilities that are open 24 hours a day 7 days each week. The need to work evening or weekend hours would likely arise at a skilled nursing facility or a hospital/large medical center.

Health Services Manager Outlook

The health services manager outlook is quite good! According to The BLS, the projected growth of medical services management positions is 23% between the years 2012 and 2022. This rate of growth is much faster than the average of all other occupations. This anticipated growth is attributed to the number of baby boomers who will require medical care during the next decade. Their need for medical care will result in an increased need for qualified health services managers to oversee medical facilities. Medical centers are expected to grow larger as need for services grow. This will increase job demand and security for individuals who plan to pursue health services management